The art is replete with portable article carrying units. These units have been designed and constructed for support of a myriad of items and for a plurality of applications. The items include beverages, books, newspapers and small personal items. Their applications include securement to bicycle handle bars, grocery baskets, crutches and similar devices adapated for facilitating ambulatory motion with the conveyance of associated articles. It is not uncommon for such assemblies to have designs adapted specifically for the primary article support application. For example, shopping basket support assemblies have included configured plate assemblies adapted for interengaging the orthogonal frame basket members in a fashion facilitating stability of the configured plate. Such a plate has been constructed for supporting beverage containers as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,278. It may be seen in this 1953 patent that the overall configuration affording said stability and ease in assembly is unique to this particular application.
Numerous other attachment devices have been the subject of innovation in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,134,577 illustrates a bicycle handle bar connection assembly affording support for a basket. Although this is a somewhat antiquated design (1915), it illustrates the importance of freedom of the user's hands relative to handle bars and the like. More recent developments include handle assemblies for more conventional ambulatory assistance structures. Wheelchairs, for example, are designed to assist the physically impaired and therefore convenience assemblies mounted to the wheelchair facilitate both the wheelchair operator and/or those persons assisting the wheelchair operator. Such assemblies include beverage container supports and clipboard mountings to allow the wheelchair occupant immediate access to the article supported thereby. Indeed, it is the ability to afford the occupant, or controller of the particular vehicle for which the handle bar is associated, ease in access that comprises the most important utilitarian function of the mounting. The method and apparatus of attachment have thus been the subject of individual design and engineering considerations. Many of these designs and considerations have been deemed novel throughout the previous decades for a plurality of vehicle and/or frame structures generally associated with ambulatory motion.
Structures associated with ambulatory motion include not only wheelchairs but also bicycles, crutches, shopping carts, and infant strollers. These articles generally require attention by the operator or, in the case of wheelchairs and crutches, by the patient. In these instances, the hands of the patient are generally fully occupied in controlling the wheelchair or the crutch. Even so, access to objects such as drinking containers or related support articles is necessary for the convenience and comfort of the user. Relative to handle bars for bicycles, strollers, shopping carts and the like, it is often necessary for the user to manually steer the particular wheeled structure. It is clearly an encumbrance for the user to also deal with loose articles such as purses, sweaters, drinks, or infant care articles while handling a stroller or cart. Many innovations in the art have thus addressed these various utilitarian needs by the provision of mechanical assemblies adapted for mounting to handle bar areas for particular structures and applications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,175 teaches a beverage container holder for a handle bar which permits its attachment in a convenient location and orientation. The same holds true for U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,312,465 and 4,570,835 which teach related beverage container holder supports facilitating user operation. These references manifest the advantages and need for such innovation.
A distinct area of need in handle bar support structures adapted for facilitating the convenience of the user is not only a beverage container support but means for easily supporting the loose articles described above. In the case of shopping carts and baby strollers, it is common for the operator to carry loose sweaters, purses, shopping bags and/or infant care bags. Without proper securement of these articles relative to the shopping cart or stroller, both inconvenience and danger can result due to lack of attention by the operator in the event that the articles become loose, dislodged and/or generally unsecured. It would be a distinct advance over the art to provide a support assembly specifically adapted for handle bar regions for strollers, carts and the like facilitating the support of the aforesaid articles in a safe, convenient and economical fashion. The method and apparatus of the present invention provide such an assembly in an integrally formed article support adapted for securement to, or integration with, handle bars and the like.